A COUNCILLOR appears to be getting impatient as the wait goes on for safety improvements on a “hazardous” road in Petersfield.

It might be over a year until changes are made to Pulens Lane, Dragon Street and The Causeway, according to a report reviewed by district councillors.

Some £3 million in developer contributions amassed over a decade have been earmarked for the Petersfield Highways Infrastructure Project, with plans also afoot to spruce up and improve the station forecourt.

But detailed designs to improve Pulens Lane are unlikely to arrive until December, with work earmarked for the following autumn.

Highway bosses are in the middle of the “feasibility and preliminary design” stage that includes traffic counts and an engagement programme. Detailed designs for tendering are expected at the end of the year, with construction pencilled in for September 2024.

It’s a similar story for Dragon Street and The Causeway, with firm designs expected in January.

The timelines were printed in a report about the Petersfield Place Making Project reviewed by East Hampshire District Council cabinet members.

Councillor Rob Mocatta, portfolio holder for regeneration and prosperity, said detailed plans for Pulens Lane, Durford Road and the A272 crossing would be shown at a meeting in September.

But although he welcomed the report and spoke in support of the investment, Councillor Nick Drew asked if plans could be sped up.

He said: “Pulens Lane suffers from a huge amount of road traffic which can be very detrimental to residents but can also produce a great deal of health and safety risks, so any investment in Pulens Lane is to be supported.

“I think the only ask from my many residents is how do we accelerate it? How do we get there quicker?”

Cllr Mocatta reassured members the project is progressing well and claimed that engineering schemes often took a lot of time because of the planning and stages required.